Extending alias support to heterogeneous servers

ABSTRACT

A method of creating a user defined alias for a targeted shared resource in heterogeneous server network. The method begins in response to a request by a systems administrator to create an alias at the central server for a targeted shared resource. A determination of the type of targeted server is made. An appropriate request to create or access a directory or resource is created and defined in a central server. Once created in the central server the alias may be updated or deleted by the user on any managed server within a heterogeneous server domain.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to computer networks and more particularly to the creation and access of resources in a server network which consists of a central server and a set of managed servers running native and non-native operating systems by the creation of an alias which is extendable across a heterogeneous server network.

2. Description of the Related Art

The client-server model of computing is a well-known environment. In the model, the user of a computer utilizes a “client” system. The client system runs any of a number of computer operating systems to manage the basic functions that users execute (such as accessing files, executing programs, system administration and the like) as well as to serve as the base against which programs are written. Well-known client operating systems include Microsoft Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, Windows 98, IBM® OS/2® Warp, Apple Macintosh, DOS, many variations of UNIX, and Microsoft Windows NT. The client system serves as the user's workstation, and it may execute programs as well as store some user data.

The server system can also run any of a number of computer operating systems. Well-known server operating systems include Novell Netware, IBM OS/2 Warp Server, IBM AS/400®, Microsoft Windows NT, and many variations of OSF UNIX. The server system is accessed by the client system for specific functions. The functions include, but are not limited to, storage and retrieval of data, storage and execution of applications, and storage of and access to user information.

Server networks are increasingly becoming heterogeneous due to differing problems that can be solved by different servers. User management in these environments requires the creation of different user accounts on the different types of servers. These user accounts eventually have different passwords and possibly different user I.D.'s. A mechanism is needed to allow a single user account definition to be used as the base for any additional user accounts that exist in the network. The mechanism needs to go beyond current technology options and allow the accounts on all servers to be continuously updated. As the user accounts become common across the network of servers, a mechanism is needed to easily refer to the access resources that exist within the heterogeneous set of servers.

A common term used to refer to a network of related servers is a domain. Within the server domain is a central server acting as the primary domain controller and a plurality of “managed” servers sometimes called secondary servers. Industry standards have been developed (for critical and common functions) to aid in the access from different types of client systems to different types of server systems. The use of these standards on the client and server afford users the opportunity to carry out functions in a consistent manner on a variety of common client and server operating systems. One of the activities that has been standardized is the “authentication” of users. Authentication refers to the process in which a user is validated as being able to complete a log-on and/or access a system. Standard protocols have been defined within the X/Open Server Message Block (SMB) specification and the Open systems Foundation (OSF) Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) specification.

While many products and operating systems have been developed that utilize the standard protocols, not all products have used the standards. When this occurs, either additional work must be done by the other operating system to implement the unique commands used by a vendor, or access to the other new system and/or product is not allowed if the unique commands are not made available to other vendors. When the commands and/or protocol are not made available, that aspect of the system and/or product is sometimes characterized as being “closed”. In regards to user management and authentication, the Microsoft Windows NT operating system is becoming an example of a closed server system that is used in many enterprise computer networks.

The creation and access of network shared resources by multiple users in a multiple server environment is a concern for both system administrators and users. The universal naming convention (UNC) names are a common mechanism used to define and seek resources in a server environment. A shortened, and more simplified naming convention that is used in many homogeneous server environments is often called an “alias.” The present invention extends the alias concept to a heterogeneous server environment and dynamically keeps all servers within the domain synchronized as new aliases are created or existing aliases are changed as users are given access to resources

defined by aliases and as users utilize aliases to connect to network shared resources.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a general object of this invention to provide a user-friendly access to resources across a heterogeneous server network.

It is a more specific object to provide for the creation and access of resources from a central server to a managed server within a heterogeneous server network.

A still more specific object of the invention is to allow an IBM OS/2 Warp Server acting as a primary domain controller to define aliases that point to a resource field held at a managed Microsoft Windows NT server.

These and other objects, features and advantages are provided by a method of creating and accessing network shared resources based upon a simplified alias name versus the full universal naming convention name. A system administrator logging on with administrator privileges on a central server displays a management screen. The initial creation of aliases is done at the central server according to various rules. Access to the server where targeted stored resources exist is made. A determination of the type of target server is made and the appropriate request mechanism to create a network shared resource is made. The alias definition on the central server then corresponds to the targeted server store and any user request to use the resource is based upon the alias name. At any time, the system administrator may update the actual location of the network shared resource without user notification or intervention,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a computer system configured according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a representative computer network in which the present invention is implemented;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the present invention wherein a log-on mechanism is provided in the client running a native operating system to facilitate authentication of a user of the client machine against an account held at a heterogeneous server domain;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a homogeneous network of servers;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a heterogeneous server domain having a plurality of managed servers;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a central server managing data flow;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the managed service start up;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating managed service operations;

FIG. 9 is a representation of the general properties display screen used to manage services;

FIG. 10 is a screen representation of the managed server definition on a managed server;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating the setting of central server synchronization values;

FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating alias creation and definition within a server domain.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention may be run on a variety of computers or collection of computers under a number of different operating systems. The computer could be, for example, a personal computer, a mini computer, mainframe computer or a computer running in a distributed network of other computers. Although the specific choice of computer is limited only by disk and disk storage requirements, computers in the IBM PS/2 (TM) series of computers could be used in the present invention. One operating system which an IBM PS/2 personal computer may run is IBM's OS/2 2.0 (TM).

In the alternative, the computer system might be in the IBM RISC System/6000 (TM) line of computers which run on the AIX (TM) operating system. The various models of the RISC System/6000 is described in many publications of the IBM Corporation. The AIX operation system is described in other publications of the IBM Corporation.

While various computers in the computer networks can be used on the computer network by a client-server setup, FIG. 1 is a common computer interface to the computer network wherein a computer 10 comprising a system unit 11, a keyboard 12, a mouse 13 and a display 14 are depicted in block diagram form. The system unit 11 includes a system bus or plurality of system buses 21 to which various components are coupled and by which communication between the various components is accomplished. The microprocessor 22 is connected to the system bus 21 and is supported by read only memory (ROM) 23 and random access memory (RAM) 24 also connected to system bus 21. A microprocessor in the IBM PC series of computers is one of the Intel family of microprocessors including the 386,486 or Pentium microprocessors. However, other microprocessors including, but not limited to, Motorola's family of microprocessors such as the 68000, 68020 or the 68030 microprocessors and various Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) microprocessors such as the PowerPC chip manufactured by IBM may be used. Other RISC chips made by Hewlett Packard, Sun, Motorola and others may be used in the specific computer.

The ROM 23 contains, among other codes, the Basic Input-Output System (BIOS) which controls basic hardware operations such as the interaction of the processor and the disk drives and the keyboard. The RAM 24 is the main memory into which the operating system and application programs are loaded. The memory management chip 25 is connected to the system bus 21 and controls direct memory access operations including, passing data between the RAM 24 and hard disk drive 26 and floppy disk drive 27. The CD-ROM 32 also coupled to the system bus 21 is used to store a large amount of data, e.g., a multimedia program or presentation.

Also connected to this system bus 21 are various I/O controllers: the keyboard controller 28, the mouse controller 29, the video controller 30, and the audio controller 31. As might be expected, the keyboard controller 28 provides the hardware interface for the keyboard 12, the mouse controller 29 provides the hardware interface for mouse 13, the video controller 30 is the hardware interface for the display 14, and the audio controller 31 is the hardware interface for the speakers 15. An I/O controller 40 such as a Token Ring Adapter enables communication over a network 46 to other similarly configured data processing systems.

As described above, one of the preferred implementations of the invention is as sets of instructions 48-52 resident in the random access memory 24 of one or more computer systems configured generally as described above. Until required by the computer system, the set of instructions may be stored in another computer readable memory, for example, in the hard disk drive 26, or in a removable memory such as an optical disk for eventual use in the CD-ROM 32 or in a floppy disk for eventual use in the floppy disk drive 27. Further, the set of instructions can be stored in the memory of another computer and transmitted in a transmission medium over a local area network or a wide area network such as the Internet when desired by the user. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the physical storage of the sets of instructions physically changes the medium upon which it is stored electrically, magnetically, or chemically so that the medium carries computer readable information. While it is convenient to describe the invention in terms of instructions, symbols, characters, or the like, the reader should remember that all of these and similar terms should be associated with the appropriate physical elements.

Further, the invention is often described in terms that could be associated with a human operator. While the operations performed may be in response to user input, no action by a human operator is desirable in any of the operations described herein which form part of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a computer network having one or more “client” machines 110 and one or more “servers” 112. A typical client machine 110 a is a personal computer or workstation running an Intel processor 114 and the Microsoft Windows NT4.0 operating system 116. For convenience herein, a machine configured in this manner is sometimes referred to as a “Windows NT client”. Any other type of hardware platform that runs Windows NT operating system may be used as the client. According to the present invention, the client also includes an application 118, which provides certain additional functionality to achieve the objects of the present invention. Each client has basic networking hardware to establish a connection out to a server. Thus, for example, a client may have a TCP/IP or NETBIOS connection to the network running over a token ring or Ethernet adapter.

Typically, a server in the computer network is another personal computer or workstation platform that Intel, Power PC® or RISC® based, and includes an operating system such as Windows NT 4.0, IBM® OS/2® Warp Server, AIX® or the like. At least one server 112 a in the computer network is the central server and executes the base operating system or subsystem which is termed “native”. This “native” system could be an IBM OS/2 Warp Server, which is sometimes referred to as a “Warp Server”. A server 112 is said to be “native” if it is running the same operating system as the server 112 a. A “non-native” server is thus a server platform (e.g., a personal computer) running an operating system or subsystem that is different than the operating system running on the server system 112 a. Given an IBM OS/2 Warp Server as 112 a, examples of such “non-native” servers include, without limitation, Microsoft Windows NT Server, Novell Netware Server, other types of server Message Block (SMB) servers, as well as operating systems that run Open Systems Foundation (OSF) Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) software. An example of the latter is a DCE Cell running Distributed File System (DFS).

In the prior art, a mechanism exists to allow a user at client system 110 a to authenticate to a server domain using a user account held at that domain. As seen in FIG. 3, the module GINA 115′ (“graphical identification and authorization”) is registered on the example Windows NT client. This enables the Windows NT client user to be authenticated against an account held at a native or non-native server domain 119. As used herein, a “non-native server domain” refers to a database of user account information retained at a given server running an operating system that is different than the operating system running at the client system. The term “heterogeneous client-server network” is commonly used to describe an environment in which the client operating system and server operating system are different. This type of environment is common in the client-server model. In contrast, the term “homogenous client-server network” is commonly used to describe an environment in which the client operating system and server operating system are the same.

A non-native server domain is typically supported on a non-native server. Thus, where the user seeks authentication from a Windows NT client, a non-native server domain includes, without limitation, any Server Message Block (SMB) server domain (e.g., IBM Warp Server 4.0), a DCE Cell in which Distributed File System (DFS) is implemented, or other known domains such as UNIX domains. This is illustrated in FIG. 3. Of course, the computer network can also include a Windows NT server domain 112 a if authentication is sought from a native server domain.

While “heterogeneous client-server networks” and “homogeneous client-server network” are part of the environment for this invention, they are not specific to it. This invention is specific to the network of servers. In particular, it refers to a “server network” consisting of a central server and a set of managed servers. The managed servers can be native to the central server or non-native to the central server.

In the described embodiment, the central server is an IBM OS/2 Warp Server managing a heterogeneous mix of OS/2 servers and Windows NT servers. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that teachings of this invention are also applicable where the server is running other types, native or non-native servers within the server domain. The present invention allows a single user account from one type of server to be used as the basis to create the corresponding user account on different type of server. After establishment of the user account, the server where the initial account was established will ensure all account updates are replicated to the other server environment on a real time basis.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram representing a high level operation of the present domain server network having a central server 140 with a native operating system 141, user accounts 142, server network definition 151 and managing service 153. Central server 140 controls homogeneous managed servers 144 and 148. Within managed server 144 is a native operating system 145, synchronized user accounts 146 and managed service 154. Likewise managed server 148 has a native operating system 148, synchronized user accounts 150 and managed service 155. The central server 140 can manage a multiplicity of servers such as servers 144 and 148 having a native OS operating system and synchronized user accounts and managed service.

The server network is defined in the central server by server network definition 151. The server network definition 151 provides the network definition required to link the servers together, It consists of a table of “addresses” that are used to direct and receive communications between specific servers in a network. Whether a broadcast mechanism like NETBIOS or a more directed mechanism like TCP/IP is used for communication, the appropriate network addresses would be included in the table. One skilled in the art would recognize that portions or all of the server network definition could be stored at the managed server(s) and/or the central server.

Similarly the managing service 153 is used to control a managed service 154 within managed server 144 and 148. The managing service 153 and managed services 154 and 155 provide the mechanism to synchronize user accounts.

Managing service 153 and managed service(s) 154 and 155 are the core components used to manage the user accounts across the servers. In a “homogeneous server network” where the servers utilize the same native operating system, the services are implemented through usage of common support that exists on each server. In addition, user accounts 142 and synchronized user accounts 146 are commonly created, updated, and deleted while containing the same information in each.

Prior art exists for user account synchronization in the “homogeneous server network”. User account management commands are sent between the central server 140 and the managed server(s) 144 and 148, Since the same commands (application programming interfaces) exist on both servers in a “homogeneous server network”, the services are there to support the remote command execution between servers. An example of this is an IBM OS/2 Warp Server created as a Primary Domain Controller which would be a central server and an IBM OS/2 Warp Server created as an additional server which would be a managed server.

Shown in FIG. 5, central server 140 having a required operating system 141, user accounts defined in 142, a server network definition 151 and a managing service 153. The central server 140 now manages a managed server 144 having a native operating system 145, synchronized user accounts 146, and a managed service 154, as well as heterogeneous server 156 having a non-native operating system 157, synchronized user accounts 158 and a managed service 159. In the described embodiment, the native operating system is an IBM OS/2 Warp Server and the non-native operating system is a Microsoft Windows NT server.

Similar to the “homogeneous server network”, managing service 153 and managed service(s) 154 and 159 are the core components used to manage the user accounts across the servers in the “heterogeneous server network”. In a “heterogeneous server network” where the servers utilize native OS such as 145 and non-native OS such as 157, common support does not exist on each server. With no common support guaranteed between the central server and the managed server(s), a new and unique mechanism is required to enable the establishment and synchronization of user accounts between the unlike servers.

Managing service 153 and managed service 159 represent the situation where the servers are different with one using a native OS and one using a non-native OS. Managing service 153 is responsible for determining what each managed server requires and delivering it in a format that can be used at the managed server 156. This involves the tracking of user account changes, packaging of the changes in a known format, and sending them to the correct managed server when required. In the described embodiment, the central server 140 is an IBM OS/2 Warp Server and the user account changes are packaged in the same format as used to synchronize to a managed server 144 that is also an IBM OS/2 Warp Server.

Managed service 159 is responsible for implementation of support to maintain communication with central server 140. The service receives the account changes, determines what has been changed with the user account, and implements the correct set of application programming interface calls to effect the changes for the synchronized user accounts 158 on the managed server 156. The mechanism to do this will be different for each non-native OS and is detailed in later figures.

In operation, central server 140 sends information called mailslot broadcasts to the network from a network communication mechanism 162, as shown in FIG. 6, to the managed server 156, while also responding to requests received from managed servers in the network. Through the network, network messages are used to provide requests and responses to the managed service 159 within the managed server 156. A user account subsystem containing a database of records is maintained in user account records 163. Also resident in the central server 140 is the managing service 164 that was described in detail as mechanism 153 in FIG. 5. Central server 140 and managed server 156 make specific functional requests through application programming interfaces (API) which specify requests and responses as described in FIG. 5.

To enable the receipt and processing of requests sent from the central server, a mechanism is required to start the managed service on the managed server. Once started, the managed service continuously awaits status updates and requests. Shown in FIG. 7, a service control manager is required on the managed server. Either when the managed server is started or through a request for a user with administrative capabilities, the managed service is started in step 182. Following the starting of the service, settings that control the operation of the service are initialized in step 183. These settings are described in FIG. 12. To allow the service to respond to commands issued by the administrator, a mechanism must be established. In step 184, a thread in the operating system is launched to allow the service to recover commands as shown in step 185. Commands include the changing of settings, stopping the service, and starting the service.

At the same time that the service control manager thread is launched in step 184 of FIG. 7, the main operational support must also be started on the managed server. FIG. 8 shows the steps to establish operational support. A thread or equivalent mechanism is started on the managed server as in step 186. A mailslot or similar communication mechanism is then established at the server in step 188 to enable communication with the central server. To monitor status from the central server, the mailslot or similar communication mechanism must be checked on a regular interval. Step 190 includes the process of checking on a regular basis. For each server in the heterogeneous server network, the communication support must be implemented as appropriate for the non-native OS. Steps 192 and 194 introduce the receipt and processing of user account requests from the central server. The main worker thread shown in step 186 is used to execute those steps which are detailed in FIG. 12, and are implemented for each heterogeneous network server.

The establishment of the managed service at the network server can be through local administration as shown in the screen printout of the managed service screen shot shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. To define the service which must be active to enable the ongoing synchronization of user accounts, the service is installed on the server that is to be managed. The method and display of the service may differ by the type of heterogeneous server in the network, and FIG. 9 shows the service in the described embodiment of a Microsoft Windows NT server as a managed server. Communication between a central server and the managed servers is required. In FIG. 9 the managed service which is called “IBM Networks User Account Manager” is established as part of the Network portion of the server. Additional settings can be established through properties associated with the managed service. Synchronization of the clock on the managed server with the central server clock is one of the settings that is made.

FIG. 10 shows additional controls used for the managed service on the managed server. For synchronization of user accounts to be in effect, the managed service must be active. In FIG. 10, the screen shot of the screen used by the administrator to control the service is shown. The method to start can either be manual or automatic. The status of the service should also be able to be retrieved to allow the administrator to know whether synchronization is active. The status column in FIG. 10 is an example of a status display.

To establish and control the managing service on the central server, the server must be accessed with administrative privilege as shown in step 200 of FIG. 11. The managing service needs to exist on the server and in the case of the described embodiment of the central server being in IBM OS/2 Warp Server, it is the LAN manager service used for homogeneous servers. Step 202 shows the access to the settings that control operation of the managing service. The actual settings are done in step 204. Settings that are needed include the interval that status updates (described as pulses) are exchanged from the central server to the managed server(s), and how much difference is allowed between the servers. The combination of these settings determine how frequently updates occur to synchronize the user accounts between servers.

A specific instance of the invention is where a system administrator is logged on with administrator privileges on a central server such as IBM OS/2 Warp Server, which is defined as the primary domain controller. The administrator defines an alias that points to a resource held at a managed server, such as a Microsoft Windows NT server, which is defined as a managed server within the network server domain. The administrator can grant access to users and groups defined at the managing server based upon the simplified alias name versus the uniform naming convention name. Users may then directly connect to the network shared resource held at the managed server using the alias name.

The invention is carried out as shown in FIG. 12 where the systems administrator accesses the central server in step 300 with administrative privilege. Using the display management screen or a received command in step 302 the administrator can initiate the creation of alias at the central server in step 304. During this step the administrator selects the access server where the targeted stored resource exists, step 306. The central server issues a request to determine the type of server being accessed for the specified resource. Once the type of server holding the resource is determined, a specific command for the appropriate type targeted server can be used to access the directory, step 310. In step 312 a shared resource definition that represents the directory or resource of the target server is sent to the target server. To establish the alias on the central server for future usage, the alias definition is created in step 314. The alias contains all unique network server, directory and resource information required to access and allows future management using a simple name. The alias definition on the central server for the target server resource is maintained and may be updated as the user connect to the resource.

What has been shown is an alias definition that will flow to the managed server so that requests to access it will be filled automatically. A user account at the defined managed server will be given automatic access to the server resources based on the user-friendly alias name. Using the alias name defined at the central server, users within the heterogeneous server network are able to access the server resource at any managed server.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced, with modification, in other environments. For example, although the invention described above can be conveniently implemented in a general purpose computer selectively reconfigured or activated by software, those skilled in the art would recognize that the invention could be carried out in hardware, in firmware or in any combination of software, firmware or hardware including a special purpose apparatus specifically designed to perform the described invention. Though two managed servers were shown and described a multiplicity of managed servers may be controlled by a central server. Therefore, changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for accessing resources across a heterogeneous server network, comprising the steps of: issuing from a central server a request for a targeted resource that determines the type of server being accessed for the targeted resource; sending from the central server to the server for the targeted resource a shared resource definition; defining an alias on the central server running a native operations system for the targeted resource available on the server network, said alias includes all unique server, directory and resource information to access and allow future management of the targeted resource; establishing the alias across a set of managed servers running a non-native operating system in which a user may wish to access targeted resources; detecting a request by a user to access the targeted resource on the central server; and automatically granting access to the shared resource on said set of managed servers according to the alias defined on the central server. 